SPEAKING ANXIETY AMONG SIXTH SEMESTER ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDENTS IN MICROTEACHING PRACTICE

Abstract

This study explores the speaking anxiety experienced by sixth-semester students during English microteaching practice at Universitas Bhinneka PGRI Tulungagung. The study aims to investigate students’ perceptions, contributing factors, and anxiety levels. A mixed-method approach was employed. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews and classroom video observation, while quantitative data were obtained using the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCAS). The results revealed three main types of anxiety experienced by students: communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. Four major factors were found to influence their anxiety: psychological, social, linguistic, and contextual. Based on the FLCAS data, 66.67% of students experienced severe speaking anxiety, while 13.33% experienced panic-level anxiety. These findings suggest that high levels of anxiety can have a significant impact on students’ speaking performance in teaching practice. Therefore, there is an urgent need for teaching strategies that help students to reduce anxiety and build confidence in the classroom.